On behalf of the Cascade Brewers Guild, BEWBC, the Impaling Alers, and WAHA, we are happy to announce the kick-off of the 2012 Joint Cascade Brewers Cup and Puget Sound Pro-Am! For one year, this is a combination of one of Washington’s longest running and most prestigious competitions with the country's largest GABF Pro-Am qualifying competition with as many over a dozen breweries selecting homebrew recipes to scale up (more breweries still being added!)

This is an AHA/BJCP sanctioned competition aimed at providing excellent feedback and prizes as well as finding award winning homebrew recipes to be brewed by Puget Sound breweries with the goal of capturing a medal from the Great American Beer Festival’s Pro-Am Competition. The Puget Sound Pro-Am is unique in that it will have MANY breweries looking for their favorite homebrew beers to scale up and brew on their systems. Winning beers of AHA members may be sent on to the GABF for a shot at national glory!

Start dreaming and brewing up your entries today! We want you to have plenty of time to brew up that perfect beer! The brewers are not just looking for stylistically accurate beers, but they will be looking for damn tasty beers. This is a perfect shot for that hybrid beer you make. You’ve got plenty of time to brew up entries specifically for one of the slots!

Check the competition website at http://www.wahomebrewers.org/jcbcpspa for the latest details including participating breweries, desired styles, contest rules, and links to online registration. Entries (three 10-12 oz brown bottles) are due March 3rd with an entry fee of $6 per entry with $1 off per entry for competition judges, stewards, and organizers (several drop-off locations accepting entries beginning in mid-February). The main judging will be held on March 10th at McKinstry Corp in Seattle (if you are interested in judging, stewarding, or helping with event execution, contact Mark Emiley at markemiley@earthlink.net or register online on the website through the same link that allows you to register beers and volunteer as a judge). Winners will be selected in the weeks following. Check the website frequently for updates on participating breweries and contest details as the competition grows. To have the best shot of having your beer brewed, you need to be an AHA member by the time of the competition, so join today! Invite your friends to join the AHA and submit beers as well (all beers will be judged and ranked regardless of AHA membership). Good luck, and may your wildest brewing dreams come true!